


Friends Like Us

by ehvul_butterfly (summerbutterfly)



Series: The Best of Advent 2011 [2]
Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-09
Updated: 2011-12-09
Packaged: 2017-10-27 02:47:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/290820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/summerbutterfly/pseuds/ehvul_butterfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While escaping from a common enemy, Dokugakuji and Hakkai discover common ground.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Friends Like Us

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2011 Advent Challenge for jinxaire.

It was a trap. But then again these days, it was always a trap and Hakkai was beginning to wonder if there really was a world where "hi, come have a cup of tea" didn't actually mean "I'm a youkai spy who likes to eat monks, now come sit down so I can knock you out and throw you in my basement."

If there was, he was having a hard time remembering it.

With a sigh he slumped against the wall. The trap door above him slammed, and the underground cell went dark. Immediately, he began to wonder exactly how long it would take for him to break out, find the rest of the ikkou and make it to Sanzo before the monk was poisoned, shot, lampooned or otherwise maimed by their latest enemy. Perhaps he could beat his own personal record of 2 hours if he really, really concentrated.

Or, if he had some unexpected assistance.

"Kou? Is that you?"

Hakkai looked to his right. Being youkai, he could see fairly well in the dark, but being formerly human, he couldn't resist summoning a small handful of chi to cast some light.

"No, I'm sorry. It's Hakkai." He held up his hand. "Is that you Dokugakuji-san?"

"Er, yeah." Light fell across the face of Kougaji's swordsman. "Fancy meeting you in a place like this."

"Indeed." Hakkai walked over. They were separated by some rather rusty-looking metal bars, but he could see Dokugakuji was in a room pretty much identical to his own. "I wasn't aware your own assassins were into youkai-on-youkai crime. Unless, of course, these weren't your assassins."

"They may have been at one point. Who knows anymore. Gokumen and that science guy are always fucking with shit, and they are none too happy with the four of us." Doku leaned on the bars. "What about you? Wrong place, wrong time?"

"Mmmhmm. And another female that wants to eat Sanzo. Sometimes it's not hard to imagine why he despises physical relationships so much seeing as all the women he meets want to digest him." Doku chuckled and Hakkai came closer to the bars. "Do you know a way out?"

"No. Haven't been awake long enough to really think about it. Took a damn hard hit to the shoulder." He rubbed his left one, where Hakkai could see the beginnings of a deep bruise. "And got knocked out by somethin'. Gas? I dunno."

"Yes, it appears they have an apothecary. They gave me sleeping powder."

“Shit,” Doku muttered. He leaned his head back, hands covering his eyes.  
Hakkai watched him wince as his shoulder moved.

“You know,” he said, “I could heal that for you.”

“Yeah? At what price?”

“No price. Well, maybe a small one. I could use your assistance getting out of here.”

Doku opened his eyes. “I’m listening.”

“Well, I’m thinking these bars will come down pretty easily. But the problem will be getting out the trap door. I’m fairly certain whoever put us down here blocked it, but perhaps with our combined strength, we can break through.”

“And when we do?”

“We do what we do best, of course.”

Dokugakuji eyed him.

After a few long moments, he conceded. “All right,” he said. “You have yourself a deal. But this doesn’t mean...”

“...We’re not enemies, I know.” Hakkai motioned for him to move closer so he could be in contact with his skin. “It will probably be a while longer before we’re on the same side of this fight.”

“As long as you continue to try and interfere, we will never be on the same side.”

“But doesn’t all this concern you? You’re youkai.”

Dokugakuji made a non-committal noise. “My needs are secondary to the needs of Lord Kougaji. If this dark magic consumes me while I serve him, so be it.”

“If the dark magic consumes you, you won’t be able to serve him.” Hakkai’s palms glowed with healing energy. “And one of us might end up having to kill you.”

Dokugakuji snorted. “Kill me, huh? That’s not exactly frightening for someone who should have died a long time ago.”

Hakkai dug deeper into the bruise, ignoring Dokugakuji’s grunt as he wrapped his chi around the tendon. “For what it’s worth,” he said, “a sort-of-wise person once told me that dying won’t solve anything. That if you want to change things, you need to live.”

“That’s a nice sentiment, but you don’t know what I’ve done.”

“Actually, I do. And I’m the last person who could ever pass judgment on you for protecting someone you loved. I’m quite guilty of that myself.”

“Yeah, but protecting someone was only the half of it. There’s more to the story. And plenty of details someone like you would probably find disgusting.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that. Yet again, I’m afraid I’m rather familiar.” Hakkai gave him a thin smile. “Your mother. My sister. I believe the relationships we both carried out had a lot in common.”

Dokugakuji raised an eyebrow.

Hakkai chi-stroked the tendon fibers. “You had sex with her. Am I close?”

Dokugakuji looked away. “Try right on target,” he murmured. “Gojyo told you?”

“No. But he’s made some off-handed remarks that helped me draw my own conclusions. Between that and my own experiences with my twin sister, I figured it out.”

Doku looked back. “Please forgive me for making some very wrong assumptions, Hakkai-san. I didn’t realize.”

“Nothing to forgive. It’s not a topic that often comes up in polite company. Or any company for that matter. But now we know we’ve shared some experiences. And that we might understand each other better than we think ”

Doku said nothing. Hakkai used the silence to concentrate on knitting together the last of the ripped tendon fibers back while giving the muscle tiny pulses of energy to discourage any swelling or scar tissue.

“There,” he said at last. “That should do it. How does it feel?”

Doku gave his shoulder an experimental shrug. “Like new. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Now, shall we take our leave?”

“Yeah,” Dokugakuji said. “Let’s do this.”

****  
Twenty minutes and a dead youkai queen later, Hakkai had an unconscious Sanzo propped up in the front seat of Jeep and the keys to Goku and Gojyo’s respective holding places.

“Can I give you a ride anywhere?” he asked Dokugakuji. “Before we go back to being enemies?”

“No, thanks.” Dokugakuji sheathed his sword. “I brought a dragon and I should have been back hours ago.”

“Ah, yes. Of course. Next time then.”

“Yeah.” Doku eyed the slumped priest. “I feel like I should try and steal your sutra or something, though. Just to make this legit.”

“If you do that, I’m afraid I might have to undo all the healing I recently did on you arm.” Hakkai smiled. “And I won’t be gentle.”

Dokugakuji snickered. “Fair enough. I’d probably do the same.” He turned to go, but stopped just a few steps away. “By the way, I would appreciate it if you didn’t mention any of this to Gojyo. I think he’s still kind of expecting me to come back and be Jien, and I don’t really have it in me to disappoint him yet again.”

“I won’t mention it,” Hakkai promised. “Although you are right. He misses you.”

“Yeah, well, he’ll just have to get over it. I’ve got other responsibilities now. And he’s got a new family.”

“Of course.”

In the front seat, Sanzo muttered something about idiots and gun.

Hakkai chucked. “I think that’s my cue to get going. Travel safe, Dokugakuji-san.”

“Thanks. You, too.”

Hakkai climbed in the drivers seat. Dokugakuji set off again, disappearing into the trees.

****  
Later, when the Ikkou were reunited and Sanzo had regained consciousness, Hakkai drove west just as he had every day since leaving Chang’an. And even later, when they’d found an inn and eaten their fill of dinner and retired for the night, he found Gojyo in his room, standing by the open window, smoking a cigarette.

“How is he?” Gojyo asked. “Jien. I know you talked to him.”

Hakkai pulled off his sash and hung it over the back of a chair. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean. I didn’t speak with Jien today.”

Gojyo laughed without humor. “Did he tell you to tell me that? That bastard.”

Outwardly, Hakkai remained unruffled, but inwardly, his curiosity was piqued. “Why would you say that?”

“Because he is. And that’s what he’s like. Show up, be all noble, disappear with out a trace. He’s never stopped trying to protect me, but the dumbass doesn’t seem to realize I don’t need protecting any more. I’m all grown up. I can take things like a man.”

“Perhaps, but I think it’s somewhere in the unspoken sibling code of conduct to never stop trying. And you should feel good knowing he still cares, even if he has an odd way of showing it.”

“Helping my best friend out of a tight spot and then denying any responsibility is definitely odd.”

Hakkai left that alone and instead focused on finding a clean shirt in his traveling bag. “He’s a good guy, Gojyo. You should be proud of him.”

Gojyo took a long drag, and exhaled a plume of smoke out the window. “That’s just it,” he said. “I am.”


End file.
